Meet Jill Dunlop

Jill Dunlop proudly represents Simcoe North as your Member of Provincial Parliament. Jill was born and raised in rural Ontario in the Town of Coldwater with a full appreciation for small community and understanding of challenges and opportunities. Ontario not only feeds our province, but also provides employment opportunity, agri-tourism and economic growth, all of which Simcoe North embodies. Jill’s passion to support the small business sector and farming community, enhance the skilled trades and further develop opportunities is important for Simcoe North, strongly believing they serve as the backbone of our economy.

It is Jill’s belief that the creation of partnerships between education, employers and their communities is of utmost importance in order to build successes that not only engage our youth, but entice newcomers, and new business to our region. Her commitment to listening to and acting on issues of concern from the community members is what will continue to allow Simcoe North to flourish under a government that is aligned with their future.

Jill’s upbringing was headed by two strong political figures—her father, former MPP Garfield Dunlop, and her mother Jane Dunlop, an active, passionate voice that drew her into a role as Township of Severn Councillor and now Deputy Mayor. From the age of five, Jill participated in her father’s political campaigns, and became active and interested in the local political and economic landscape. In later years, Jill learned an ever-deepening set of convictions and values with the way her parents connected with the people of their communities, and grew to understand and appreciate the importance of truly listening to, and participating in the communities’ dialogues and issues.

Jill exposure to small business also started young with ownership and management of her entrepreneurial family and Dunlop Plumbing. Dunlop Plumbing still thrives in Coldwater to this day offering services and employment to the local community. Jill’s years of learning from a young age the unique challenges and frustrations and opportunities awaiting entrepreneurs to becoming a voice for these communities is a job she very seriously. In the context of her family’s successes and struggles, Jill developed a strong respect for tradespeople and small business, and as an MPP she recognizes the importance of the government’s role in creating an environment in which small business can flourish.

Jill’s early career included teaching as a faculty member at Georgian College, a now Ashoka Designated College creating changemakers and social entrepreneurs. She has had the opportunity to work not only in the classroom but in the community with both for profit and not for profit organizations and service industries. Jill’s relationship building skills allowed for identifying and need to formally partner with college and local employers and a group of fellow faculty members began informally building relationships to strengthen both the community stakeholders and students. As the program evolved so did Jill, identifying a passion she had for community and allowing her to actively create connections for students to receive on-the-job experience, and ultimately careers, in our local communities.

Jill is a mother of three uniquely individual daughters. Her experiences as a teacher, along with parenting, allowed her to see first hand the challenges facing our emerging work force and the environment students are graduating from and embarking on to. Jill realized in order to meet the real needs of industry moving forward, we need to establish more long-term, sustainable partnerships between employers and colleges to match programs, needs, and experiences for students of all ages in order to lead to better jobs. Jill has always demonstrated her strong work ethic and is a tireless hard-working team player. Her skills and determination are proven in her successes and she will always work hard to represent you and the things that matter most to you and your family as your MPP for Simcoe North.